Verstappen sidelined for Monza FP1 as Red Bull name replacement

The Dutchman is coming off a race-ending crash at Zandvoort, which brought his final home Grand Prix for the foreseeable future to a premature and disappointing conclusion. Verstappen lost control of his Red Bull at the final corner on the opening lap, ending his race almost immediately and leaving him without the opportunity to fight for a result in front of his home crowd.

The DNF at Zandvoort took Verstappen's tally to four retirements this season, meaning the four-time world champion has failed to see the chequered flag in one-third of the 12 Grands Prix held so far.

Ahead of the Italian Grand Prix, Verstappen is looking to move on from the frustration of Zandvoort and turn his attention towards extracting more from the Red Bull at Monza. The Dutchman is unwilling to set any firm expectations for the weekend, with the team's position in the competitive order still unclear. Closing the deficit to the front and finding a better balance will therefore be the main priorities once running begins.

Monza nevertheless represents an opportunity for Verstappen to respond after his home disappointment, particularly given Red Bull's previous form at the circuit. The four-time world champion has always enjoyed the high-speed, traditional nature of the Italian venue and the atmosphere created by the fans, but he is taking a cautious approach to what Red Bull can realistically achieve this time around.

As for who will line up alongside Verstappen at Monza, Liam Lawson will once again take the second Red Bull seat after Isack Hadjar was ruled out of the Italian Grand Prix. The Frenchman has not recovered sufficiently from the wrist injury that already forced him to miss the previous round at Zandvoort, where Lawson stepped in as his replacement.

Lawson's return to the senior team also opens the door for Yuki Tsunoda to continue at Racing Bulls. The Japanese driver already replaced Lawson in the Netherlands and will remain with the team for the Monza weekend, partnering Arvid Lindblad at the Italian Grand Prix.